This policy holds immigration applicants on islands off Australia instead of on the mainland. This has become a controversial issue in Australia. The asylum seekers and their supporters had earlier protested peacefully for a change in the long holding times for immigrants, but to no avail.

On Friday, a riot broke out in the processing center on Nauru, nearly destroying it and causing an estimated AUS$60 in damages. Nauru’s president called on “strong and able men” to help corral the escaped refugees, raising Anonymous’s ire.

Nauru police have charged 150 of the center’s approximately 550 residents, who have been transferred to jail facilities.

Anonymous’s attack, according to the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland, “resulted in all official emails and government being shut down for over four hours. It was claimed that the Nauruan government had suspended all Internet access outside of official use preceding the Anonymous attack.”

Nauru’s economy was based on phosphate mining. In its wake, the island has experienced environmental degradation and economic turmoil as the phosphate ran out. One of its few hard currency avenues is aid from Australia.